Authenticity control of relational databases by means of lossless watermarking based on circular histogram modulation

Abstract

In this paper, we adapt the reversible watermarking modulation originally proposed by De Vleeschouwer et al. for images to the protection of relational databases. Message embedding is achieved by modulating the relative angular position of the circular histogram center of mass of one numerical attribute. It is fragile and can be used for database authentication. Beyond the application framework, we theoretically evaluate the performance of our scheme in terms of distortion and capacity. We further experimentally verify these theoretical limits within the framework of one medical database of more than one million of inpatient hospital stay records. We show that under the central limit theorem assumptions, experimental results fit theory. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.